Month: September 2011

Categories
Daily Post

A Friday Example

It’s been a while since I have posted any stories about other people, and since its Friday, I think this is a great day to it again.  One of my fellow harriers from college forwarded this story to me yesterday.  It’s a story that is well worth reading about a high school cross country runner and his sacrifice during his race.  This version has even more information.

This is an excellent example of Philippians 2, and I think that it’s hard sometimes to find examples of people living that way in our society.  Last week I was teaching some high school kids about the parable of the Pharisee and the Tax Collector from Luke 18, and during that class it was difficult for the kids to describe acts of humility.  The actions of this young man are an example of humility and selflessness in so many ways.

I applaud him and thank him for his example.  I am not so sure I would have stopped when I ran cross country.

 1-4If you’ve gotten anything at all out of following Christ, if his love has made any difference in your life, if being in a community of the Spirit means anything to you, if you have a heart, if you care— then do me a favor: Agree with each other, love each other, be deep-spirited friends. Don’t push your way to the front; don’t sweet-talk your way to the top. Put yourself aside, and help others get ahead. Don’t be obsessed with getting your own advantage. Forget yourselves long enough to lend a helping hand. Philippians 2

Categories
Daily Post

A Carry Over From Yesterday

Just following up with one more thought about numbering days and living wisely.  I think these words of James may say it better than me..

 

 13-16Do you want to be counted wise, to build a reputation for wisdom? Here’s what you do: Live well, live wisely, live humbly. It’s the way you live, not the way you talk, that counts. Mean-spirited ambition isn’t wisdom. Boasting that you are wise isn’t wisdom. Twisting the truth to make yourselves sound wise isn’t wisdom. It’s the furthest thing from wisdom—it’s animal cunning, devilish conniving. Whenever you’re trying to look better than others or get the better of others, things fall apart and everyone ends up at the others’ throats. James 3:13 The Message (MSG)

 

Let us live well today!!

Categories
Daily Post

40 + 500 = more wood, less arrows

I saw this phrase on a Google article a few months ago.  It was stuck in the middle of an announcement from Google labs about a change in their direction. To describe their change they said they were”putting more wood behind fewer arrows.”  I have spent time since then trying to figure out what that really means.  I think it means something about placing more time and energy on less things, but I am still looking for someone you can fully explain this metaphor to me!

But anyway, today I will roll with it, as I roll through a very significant milestone age wise and post the Buffet’s 500th post. And today, I am thinking that I want(need) to put more wood behind fewer arrows and really really focus in on the important things in life.

As you now, there is one certain thing about birthdays – they keep coming, until they don’t.  And there is no going back – only going forward.  I sorta of sit in the middle of life today, strengthened by my past, but faced with the heavy realization that I don’t have as many days to waste as I had when I was 15.   I have referenced these few verses many times in the last few months, but they seem best to help describe the arrows that I (we) should put my(our) wood behind.  Not those of career advancement, not those of accumulation, not those of entertainment, but these.

 8But he’s already made it plain how to live, what to do,

   what God is looking for in men and women.
It’s quite simple: Do what is fair and just to your neighbor,
be compassionate and loyal in your love,
And don’t take yourself too seriously—
take God seriously.  Micah 6:8 The Message (MSG)

and then this one about number our days

 12-17 Oh! Teach us to live well!
Teach us to live wisely and well!
Come back, God—how long do we have to wait?—
and treat your servants with kindness for a change.
Surprise us with love at daybreak;
then we’ll skip and dance all the day long.
Make up for the bad times with some good times;
we’ve seen enough evil to last a lifetime.
Let your servants see what you’re best at—
the ways you rule and bless your children.
And let the loveliness of our Lord, our God, rest on us,
confirming the work that we do.
Oh, yes. Affirm the work that we do!  Psalm 90:12 The Message (MSG)

 

It’s very similar to what my father use to say to his sports teams  – “Go out, have fun, do the right things and winning will take care of itself.”  If we focus on love, mercy and humility, those other things will take care of themselves.Those are the arrows I want to focus my self on.

So today I am putting more wood behind fewer arrows, I am numbering these days, and I am looking forward to what life as a mature person actually is.!!!!!  🙂

And as Coach Gundy says “I’m a man, I’m 40!”

 

Categories
Daily Post

Eyes to the Hills

An abrupt change in my schedule this morning has left me with no time to post anything.  So I took the second ( first) best option.  I opened up the bible and look at where it fell.

I definitely could stand to read these words today.

Psalm 121

New International Version (NIV)

Psalm 121

A song of ascents. 1 I lift up my eyes to the mountains—
where does my help come from?
2 My help comes from the LORD,
the Maker of heaven and earth.

3 He will not let your foot slip—
he who watches over you will not slumber;
4 indeed, he who watches over Israel
will neither slumber nor sleep.

5 The LORD watches over you—
the LORD is your shade at your right hand;
6 the sun will not harm you by day,
nor the moon by night.

7 The LORD will keep you from all harm—
he will watch over your life;
8 the LORD will watch over your coming and going
both now and forevermore.

Categories
Daily Post Talk Like a Pirate Day

Talk Like a Pirate Day 2011

Avast finally it be here Mate’s!

I Be cuttin’ off your peg-leg landlubbers, agin ‘t’s the natter like a sea dog tide! This be one o’ me favorite days. So “Blow me down!”, sit astern an’ enjoy ‘nother tell’n o’ th’ tale.

It be hard t’ b’lieve.

I’ve  b’n think’n bout how the scurvy dog gave aloft the Fiddler’s Green and all th’ loot fer us. How tha Old Sea Dog set port from th’ most blitheringly glorious place so that he could come down an’ be wi’ us. How he could lower hisself  below th’ bilge rats. Aye, me hearties, like he crawled out of the bung hole., so that we could be havin‘ life.  Blimey, he be keel hauled, even danced with Jack Ketch, to be keepin’ us from Davy Jones’ Locker.

5 Let this mind be in ye which be also in Christ Jesus, 6 who, bein’ in th’ form o’ God, did nay consider ‘t robbery t’ be equal wi’ God, 7 but poxed Hisself o’ nay reputation, aye even shark bait, takin’ th’ form o’ a bondservant, an’ comin’ in th’ likeness o’ scallywags. 8 An’ bein’ found in appearance as a scallywag, the sea dog humbled Hisself an’ became obedient t’ th’ point o’ Davy Jones’ locker, e’en th’ Davy Jones’ locker o’ th’ cross. Philippians 2:5-8

It makes me want t’ swap the poop deck, it makes me want t’ set port an’ t’ do someth’n. What a great bit of swag.  He be a great example.

And ye may lay to that!

Hoist the Colors, me hearties!

No quarter!

 

Argh, if ye be needed some more loot, here be TLAP posts from yesteryear.